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Saturday, October 3, 2009

I Found a Place to Live! (part one)

Pyramid Peak (thanks, Dave), taken from the kitchen window. The way life works puzzles me exceedingly. I have a couple of stories like this to share with you, one of them being how I met Mike and his kids (but I'm gonna sit on that one for a while...), but this one is of similar strange kismet, and I just can't believe this is how it happens.

When I first came to Aspen, I saw my life. I was sitting in my friend Megan's kitchen, and I looked out the window, and I saw a cabin on a bunch of open land, and a home. My things were there, it wasn't in town, it wasn't out in Basalt, it was close, but I couldn't tell where. There was water. There was peace. There was me, walking barefoot and sitting outside in long grass as the snow melted.

I kept hearing stories about people who had managed to get a great deal in a caretakers cottage, or something like that, and I thought, maybe, maybe I could get lucky enough to get a deal like that. Although I doubted it, and everyone was constantly telling me that you could live in Aspen for 20 years and never get a deal like that. They don't advertise them in the papers, they are word of mouth friends helping friends kinds of things.

I thought about the way that one of my friends lived in Aspen, in a shed behind a trailer with no running water about 30 minutes down valley, and he paid $700 a month to live there. That's Aspen.

And I was facing some unique obstacles here. Ideally, I wanted to be in or very close to town. I wanted to live in a place that would be appropriate for my kids to visit me in, even if they had to sleep on the floor in sleeping bags. I wanted to be near the elementary school, just in case they decided to come live with me starting at Christmas (which Ethan and Bodhi have both mentioned).

I had hoped to secure a place for about $700 a month, because money is so very very tight right now as all my cash is tied up in this house here in Bozeman, and we are trying not to sell it in this bad market, but hold on to it for a while until the market recovers.

So I didn't want to look in the paper, because I was finding things that were 12-1700 a month, or "live with six people and their blaring TV in a furnished dorm style apartment". Don't get me wrong. I was willing if that was the way it had to be. But in my heart I dreamed of a wood burning stove, some peace and quiet a place to recuperate from my three jobs, good friends, good food, no TV, cooking, music, massage...

People kept asking me if I'd found a place, and the answer was always no because I hadn't got my first, last and security together, and because I was waiting for one of my friends to call me and say, "hey, 89 year old so and so needs someone to live with her and start her car and make her breakfast, in exchange, you can live on her property..." or something ridiculous like that.

I knew it was a pipe dream, and my friend Cindy texted me telling me she had found some stuff in the paper in town at about $800/mo, and so I figured, well, Tom has applied for this small car loan (he's buying me out of my portion of the Suburban), so I'd better start looking.

I was also totally torn about whether I should stay in town for Halloween or not, I've never missed it, and its Bodhi's birthday, but the spas wanted me down there before ski season to train me... but I couldn't tell them exactly when I'd be there because I was a prisoner of my business (which I hadn't handed off yet) and my unsurity about funds for deposit...

It was a very circular and sickening thing. And then everything started falling in place. Aimee Higgens took my business. I cleared up some remaining bills I owed, and Cindy's text pushed me to look for listings. And I found about six that would work, all multiple room mate situations in small apartments, but three were right in town.

Do you like to Garden, Cross Country ski out your door, live semi-remotely? Looking for a roommate who can appreciate sustainable living, nature at your doorstep (4 Wheel drive helpful) to share a spacious home with your own bath, W/D, amazing views, fireplace, 10 minutes from downtown (not on bus line). Someone interested in cultivating great communications and a healthy living environment. Available Nov.15 short or long term. Sorry no pets, lots of wildlife (If this sounds awesome, please call). Sorry not interested in huge TV watcher, music that's a different story. Room is afford-ably priced for the right person.

I sat there and looked at this listing. This was my home, I was sure of it in my bones. Its not in town, its about 10 minutes outside of town, and I had been SO insistent that I needed to be in town, but "4 wheel drive helpful) and no TV was soooo interesting, and a fireplace.. and views... and great communications...

So I called. Which is another new thing for me, because I prefer to communicate at first through email, I don't like talking on the phone very much. But there was only a phone number, so I called.

And the person's message (whew! I got a message!) was a massage therapist! Are you KIDDING ME? It turns out she's this girl.

And it turns out that this is a ranch on the road to the Maroon Bells, about five minutes from the elementary school. And it turns out that its on a ranch, this ranch, and that its a 2400 sq ft house that I'll split with this amazing and talented massage therapist who is really into music and good food.

For real, I'm not making this up. It turns out that she loves kids, that its okay if mine visit, that I can bring my easel, that I'm sharing the house, not just renting a room, and on and on...

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Kate's Team 2016: Technical Skiing Coach: Jonathan Ballou

Currently, Jonathan spends his northern hemisphere winters as the Training Manager for the Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen/Snowmass and as an Examiner and Alpine Committee Chair for PSIA-Rocky Mountain Division. In the other winter (deep south), Jonathan works as a trainer for the Rookie Academy and an examiner and education coordinator for the New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance. Click on the photo to view Jonathan's You Tube channel full of inspiring skiing demonstrations!

Kate's Team 2016: Physical Conditioning: Bill Fabrocini

Bill Fabrocini PT, OCS, CSCS, and former physical therapist and strength coach of Olympic Snowboard champions Gretchen Bleiler and Chris Klug. Bill is currently the rehabilitation and conditioning advisor to the Chivas de Gaudalajara professional soccer team n Mexico, and strength coach to professional cyclist Tejay Van Garderen. Click on the photo to explore Bill's Tumblr blog, filled with videos on conditioning for athletes.

Kate's Team 2016: Mental Coaching: Thomas Crum

Thomas Crum is an author and presenter in the fields of conflict resolution, peak performance, and stress management. He is known throughout the world for his interactive live presentations and his three best-selling books. Recent clients include the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and the Navy SEALs. Click on the image to read more about coaching by Tom Crum.

Kate's Team 2016: Training Partner: Kurt Fehrenbach

Kurt was a member of the 2008 National Alpine Team and is currently an Examiner for PSIA RM and a verifier for Aspen/Snowmass. He and Kate have been training and adventuring together for over eight years.

Kate's Team 2016: Mentor - Megan Harvey

2-term National Alpine Team alum, Megan was the first person to step in and help me believe I could achieve my goal of making the National Team. Megan combines an incredibly giving heart, with an insatiable drive and problem-solving bug. Megan has taught me how to be a great trainer, how to give my time to others, how to be an integral part of the ski school. She has taught me about budgeting my time, how to be professional in this industry, and how to help others. She is also willing to give it to me straight, working with me both on and off-snow. Her no-nonsense direct feedback is to the point and never couched in cuddles or bubbles. She has an opinion. She shares it. I do what she says. Megan is one of the most incredibly dedicated, giving, loving, caring people I have ever had the pleasure to meet, and I am grateful to count her amongst my friends, and honored to have her as an official member of my team.

Kate's Team 2016: Bootfitting: Brent Amsbury

Brent Amsbury of Park City Ski Boot has a terrific balance between the art and science of boot fitting. And he can get my big, flat, frozen, numb foot comfortably into a race plug boot, no sweat.

Kate's Team 2016: My Amazing Family!

Every aspiration needs support. I am fortunate to have the energy, belief and support of my entire family behind me as I reach for a spot on the National Alpine Team in 2016.

Read it from the Begining!

Heros and Inspiration

These are people who I am learning about who inspire me, make me feel like I'm not crazy to love what I do, and who broke trail ahead of me so I can ski, too...

Bill Brigs:

The first man to ski the Grand Teton, he skied it alone, with no witnesses. But a newspaper plane took him to the top the next day and the evidence was still there: solo tracks in the snow from the top of the Grand. "You dream up what you want to do with your life..."

Stefano De Benedetti:

"In the Perfect Moment, I was so concentrated there was no space for other thoughts. When you want to make a turn, and you are at the top of a steep vertical wall, I mean, when you are in the situation that if you fall you die, everything changes. You think very much about turning. You think very much about WHERE to turn. And you do all this in a very special way.

You act like a different person.

You act with all your self.

You are making a completely different experience, and in some way, you are discovering yourself.

This is the magic of the mountain. You can except to die for this. You don't wanna to die. But to live so close to the possibility of dying, you understand what is really important, and what NOT.

And this makes you a better person. Its probably the highest moment of my life because in the perfect moment I was, or I felt to be, a little superman."

Anatoli Boukreev:

An incredibly accomplished high altitude climber and guide, Anatoli also pulled off one of the most spectacular high altitude rescues single handedly in a blinding snowstorm after having not had significant rest for 35 hours and after summiting Mt. Everest. He saved the lives of three climbers from his team, the ill fated Scott Fischer Mountain Madness expedition in 1996.

"Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion...I go to them as humans go to worship. From their lofty summits I view my past, dream of the future and, with an unusual acuity, am allowed to experience the present moment...my vision cleared, my strength renewed. In the mountains I celebrate creation. On each journey I am reborn."

Snow Report

Visit this great site for the MOST detailed info on freezing temps at different altitudes, and make better decisions in the back country!

Links To Visit

Quotes That Help

"We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Castena

"A life in harmony with nature, the love of truth and virtue, will purge the eyes to understanding her text." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world." ~ Buddha

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver

"You are right where you need to be. And where you need to be to learn what you need to learn is not always comfortable and can be quite unpleasant." Amy Keefer

"There is nothing new in the world; everything has been done before, sometimes hundreds of times. But our perspectives always change. There are always new perspectives." - the Dalai Lama

"Chronic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment. If you have behaved badly, repent, make what amends you can and address yourself to the task of behaving better next time. On no account brood over your wrong doing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean." - Aldous Huxley

"The Chinese character for "Crisis" is comprised of two characters: the character for "Danger" and the character for "Opportunity"."

"Take your face out of your hands and clear your eyes. You have a right to your dreams, and DON'T BE DENIED." Ben Harper

"Praise and blame. Gain and loss. Pleasure and sorrow come and go like the wind. To be happy, rest like a giant tree in the midst of them all." - Buddha

"Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get up." Chinese Proverb.

"A venturesome minority will always be eager to set off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks, for godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American." - Edward Abbey

"Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right." -Henry Ford

"If you are walking along with nothing but a bamboo cane, and someone attacks you with a sword, you should take their sword from them. This, then, is already your victory." 15th Century Martial Arts Master (from the book Secret Tactics of the Martial Arts Experts)

"Those who say you can't shouldn't get in the way of those who are doing it" - unkown via Alyssa

"Somewhere, someone is training harder than you are. And when you meet them in head to head competition, they will beat you." No Fear

"Its not nearly as High and Tight as you think it is, Kate" - Josh Spohler